Heavy bleeding, also known as menorrhagia, refers to excessively heavy or prolonged menstrual periods. It can significantly affect a woman's physical, emotional, and social quality of life. While the normal menstrual cycle typically involves losing about 30-40 milliliters of blood, heavy bleeding may involve losing more than 80 milliliters per cycle.
Several factors can contribute to heavy menstrual bleeding. Common causes include:
- Uterine fibroids: Non-cancerous growths in the uterus. - Polyps: Small, benign growths on the lining of the uterus. - Hormonal imbalances: Issues with the balance of estrogen and progesterone. - Endometriosis: Tissue similar to the lining inside the uterus grows outside it. - Adenomyosis: When the tissue that normally lines the uterus grows into the muscular wall of the uterus. - Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID): Infection of the reproductive organs. - Coagulation disorders: Problems with blood clotting can lead to heavy bleeding. - Intrauterine Device (IUD)
